THIRUVANATAHPURAM: What has the betting row that shook the cricketing world got to do with Kerala?
The answer lies in the fact that it was recently that one of the accused in the scandal Pakistani cricketer Mohammed Asif was all set to play a lead role in a Malayalam film.
After the scandal was exposed on Sunday, veteran lyricist Kaithapram Damodaran Namboothiri, who is making his directorial debut with this film, has decided to look for a replacement.
"After the news about the scandal and Mohammed Asif's involvement surfaced, I have made up my mind to replace him. I have a few names in my mind, but has not zeroed in on anyone yet," Kaithapram told Express. Kaithapram, who had been thinking about directing a film for the past couple of years, had approached Pakistan cricket legend Wasim Akram who could not take up the assignment owing to various reasons though he expressed interest in the project.
Thereafter, he had approached the young cricketer. "Asif was not roped in because he is an actor. I need someone who has high regards for moral values in life," Kaithapram said. The casting of a Pakistani cricketer in a limited industry such as Malayalam had attracted immense curiosity around the world, perhaps becoming the biggest attentiongrabbing casting coup in Indian cinema in recent times.
So how did he arrive at such a novel subject? Kaithapram drew inspiration from a real life incident involving himself. "I met a man from Pakistan in one of my foreign visits. He was exceptionally good in music which dragged us closer to each other. But the real surprise came when he revealed that his father hailed from Bandadukka, near Kasargod," an emotionally stirred up Kaithapram said.
The subject being built on emotions extending beyond the geographical boundaries of countries, the film has been titled 'Mazhavillinattam Vare'.
The central character of the film, initially handed over to Mohammed Asif, is a cricketer who comes from Pakistan for a coaching camp in Kannur. But the main reason for his visit is not cricket wherein lies the crux of the film.
"This mission is a major chapter in cultural exchange between the two hostile countries. So, the character's personality is crucial," Kaithapram said.
The shoot of 'Mazhavillanattam Vare,' has been scheduled to begin in September, the location being Parassinikadavu in Kannur.
